The hope and joy felt at Epiphany, 12 days after Christmas at the close of the season, is in celebration of divine "manifestation"; the manifestation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. 

Depending on your liturgical tradition, Epiphany is a feast day, or season, celebrating the Magi arriving with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  The offerings of the three kings represent Christ's royal standing, divine birth and human mortality.

These "three wise men" travelled from far away to recognise God showing himself to us through Jesus' birth.

Celebrating their arrival at Epiphany can not only be a time to mark the Magi's arrival and worship of the baby Jesus, but a time to reflect on the life of Jesus and the ways in which God has revealed himself to us. 

Radio is able to offer real help and hope for lasting transformation, and a true expression of love. A love for all. 

One of the names given to Jesus is Immanuel. It means ‘God with us’ and it is the great campaign of identification – God became flesh – and not some ‘high and mighty’ flesh but he came to us – the poor, frail, weak and lost. God came looking for us and ‘contained’ himself in such a way so that we can see and understand something of the infinite, eternal and transcendent, and enter into a relationship with him.

Feba’s partners in projects in Africa, Asia and the Middle East work on the same principle, of identifying so closely with the people and communities they seek to minister to.

They go out of the studio to meet listeners, to speak to people about their stories, issues and concerns, they interview community leaders and, as they travel around, they get to know the neighbourhood. Unlike Jesus however, they are changed by what they see. Their preconceived ideas are challenged, a greater degree of empathy is found and new possibilities open up. All of this feeds into the programme content, so that it is relevant and appropriate to the listeners’ situations. Radio is able to offer real help and hope for lasting transformation, and a true expression of love. A love for all. 

It could be argued that the infant Jesus was welcomed by "foreigners" when the wise men visited and God revealed himself through the incarnation of Jesus.  The Gospel of Matthew tells us that the Magi had travelled "from the East" in search of the Saviour; essentially this was a group of three men who would not have belonged in the eyes of Israel. Born King of the Jews, but welcomed by outsiders, this is a reminder that Jesus is for all of us who seek Him.  No one is potentially outside the love of Christ, and the projects and broadcasts of our partners seek to share this love with their listeners.   

Happy Epiphany from Feba.